Bottle carrier



Patented Nov. 10, 1953 BOTTLE CARRIER Maynard G. Hall, Rutherford, N. J assignor to Empire Box Corporation, Garfield, N. J a corporation of Delaware Original application August 21, 1947, Serial No. 769,866. Divided and this application April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,262

4 Claims. 1

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 769,866, filed August 21, 1947, now abandoned.

This invention relates to bottle carriers made from cardboard or like material and particularly the invention relates to bottle carriers of the aforesaid character that are collapsible in character so that they may be shipped in a flat condition and may be erected at the time when the carriers are to be loaded.

Bottle carriers of the general character to which this invention relates have in the past been made from cardboard or like material, such carriers usually being constructed to hold six bottles disposed vertically or in upright positions in two rows of three bottles each, and a handle section disposed between these two rows is so connected to the bottom portions of the carrier that the carrier may be readily grasped or lifted when the loaded carrier is to be transported. Prior carriers of the aforesaid general character have in many instances afforded highly satisfactory structures for the uses for which they are intended, but in such prior carriers, there has often been the disadvantage that excessive material was required so as to cause an unduly high cost, or the devices have been considered objectionable in many instances because of the difficulty of manufacture on conventional machines or because of lack if sufficient strength in the completed carrier when made of cardboard of the usual thickness or weight. It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to enable high strength collapsible bottle carriers to be made with a minimum of material and in such a way that they may be rapidly produced on conventional machines of the kind used in this art.

Bottle carriers of the aforesaid character are in many instances loaded while such carriers are in position. in the conventional wood carrying cases, and for this reason, the collapsed or flat carriers are usually set up and are put in position in the cases and the bottles are thereafter loaded into the cases either manually or by the use of case loading machines. Another object of the present invention is to aiford bottle carriers that are collapsible in character and which, despite this collapsible characteristic, are so formed and arranged that when they have been formed and erected and put in position in the conventional bases, the bottle carriers will retain their erected position so as to thereby simplify loading of the carriers in the case either manually or by automatic case loading machines.

tween the two central bottles in the carrier.

Another important object of the present invention is to enable collapsible bottle carriers that are received by the users in a fiat or collapsed condition to be readily and easily erected with out the necessity for the use of a carrier erecting machine or other mechanical means, and a more specific object related to the foregoing is to enable such carriers to be erected merely by the application of pressure to the opposite ends of the collapsed blank.

An important object of the present invention is to aiiord a bottle carrier in which the separation of the bottles in the two rows is attained in part by inwardly turned extensions of the end panels and in part by a rigid and uncreased extension element that extends from one of such inwardly turned extensions so as to be disposed between the central compartments of the two rows. A related object is to simplify and reduce the material required to afford separation of the rows of bottles in such a carrier.

A further object of the present invention is to enable carriers of the aforesaid character to be so constructed that they will readily be locked in their erected condition, and an object relating to the foregoing is to afford such locking means that are adapted to be quickly and easily placed in their locking relation.

A further object of the present invention is to afford separating means, disposed in the plane of the handle, and adapted for movement in a horizontal direction and endwise of the carrier in the course of the erection of the carrier so as to ailord a bottle separating means disposed be- A further andrelated object is to afford such separating means that are so formed and related to the other elements of the carrier that such means may also serve as a locking means for maintaining the carrier in its erected condition.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible bottle carrier embodying the features of the invention, the carrier being shown in its erected condition;

Fig. 2 is a reduced plan view of the cardboard blank that is utilized in producing the carrier shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention that aifords a carrier having locking means for holding the carrier in its erected condition;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the blank utilized in forming the carrier of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end views respectively of the carrier of Figs. 1 and 2 in its collapsed relation; and

Figs. '7 and 8 are side and end views respectively of the carrier of Figs. 3 and 4 in its collpased relation.

For purposes of disclosure, the invention has been herein illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings as embodied in collapsible bottle carrier 323 made from cardboard or like material that is formed by cutting and creasing to afford a blank such as that shown in Fig. 2, which is then folded and secured together to afford a collapsed carrier which may be erected to the form shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The carrier 320, as will be evident in Figs. 1 and 2, embodies rectangular side wall panels 32lA and 32|B that are joined together at opposite ends by end walls 322 and 323, it being observed that the end wall 322 is afforded by foldably connected rectangular panels 322A and 322B, while the end wall 323 is afforded by foldably connected rectangular panels 323A and 32313. The lower edge of the side walls 32IA and 321B are foldably connected at their lower edges to a pair of rectangular bottom panels 324A and 3243, such panels being of the same size and being foldably connected to each other at their adjacent edges.

Midway between the two side walls 32IA and 32IB, a pair of handle sections 325 and 326 are provided in a common plane adjacent and perpendicularly related to such end walls, these handle sections being afforded by parallel panels 325A and 325B in one instance and 326A and 32613 in the other instance. The panels of each handle section 325 and 326 are adhesively secured together, and in each instance are foldably connected to the adjacent end wall 322 or 323 as the case may be at the juncture of the two panels that make up such end wall. The handle sections 325 and 326 are each of such a width in the horizontal direction that the adjacent edges of the two handles 325 and 326 are spaced apart in a distance equal to substantially onehalf the horizontal distance between the side walls 32IA and 3213, and bottle separating and weight transmitting walls are extended from these adjacent edges of the handle sections 325 and 326 to the respective side walls 32|A and 32lB. Thus, with respect to the handle section 325, a bottle separating and weight transmitting wall 321A is extended to the side wall 32IA in a parallel relationship with respect to the end panel 322A, and the wall 321A is foldably connected to the side wall 32IA and to the vertical edge of the handle section 325 that is remote from the end wall 322. Similarly, a bottle separating and weight supporting wall 32113 is extended from the same edge of the handle section 325 to the side wall 32 [B in a parallel relation to the end panel 322B, and the wall 322B is foldably connected to the wall 32 IB and the panel section weight transmitting walls 328A and 32813 are extended from the side walls 32|A and 32IB, repectively, to the vertical edge of the handle section 326 that is remote from the end wall 323. Thus, separate compartments are aiforded at the four corners of the erected carrier 320 to receive the four end bottles, that are to be supported in the carrier, and between the spaces that are to be occupied by the two central bottles, means are aiforded for locking the carrier in its erected condition and for spacing or separating the two central bottles.

A relatively rigid handle 33!], made from a material such as wire, has a crossbar 330H and downwardly extending arms 330M, and at the lower ends of these arms, hooks 330K are provided which may extend through openings 33! that are formed in the adjacent upper corners of the handle sections 325 and 326, as will be evident in Figs. 1 and 2. The handle 330 is, of course, put into place after erection of the carrier so that it assumes the relationship shown in Fig. 1, and as will hereinafter become evident, the handle that is thus afforded aids in maintaining the carrier in an erected condition.

In forming the carrier 320, the cardboard stock is cut and scored in the manner indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings wherein it will be evident that the two rectangular bottom panels 324A and 3243 are pivotally connected to each other at their adjacent edges along a fold line 333. Similarly, the bottom panel 324A is pivotally connected to the lower edge of the side panel 32IA along the fold line 334, while the side wall 32|B is pivotally connected at its lower edge to the other edge of the panel 324B along a fold line 335.

The end panels 323A and 3233 are connected, respectively, to the corresponding ends of the side Wall panels 32A and 3203 along fold lines 336A and 3363 which are in effect a continuous fold line that is aligned with the adjacent end edges of the bottom panels 324A and 3243. The fold lines 336A and 3353 are perpendicularly related to the fold lines 333, 334 and 335. At the other ends of the side walls 32|A and 3MB, the end panels 322A and 322B are foldably connected. to the respective side walls along fold lines 337A and 33113 that are parallel to the fold lines 336A and 3363. At the other edges of the end panels 323A and 3233, the handle panels 325A and 3263 are foldably connected along weakened fold lines 338A. and 3383 which are parallel to the fold lines 336A and 336B, and in this respect it will be observed that edges that are to constitute the lower edges of the handle panels 326A and 32GB are formed so as to be aligned, respectively, with the fold lines 334 and 335. In contrast to this, however, the other ends of the panels 326A and 3253 are extended beyond the other edges of the end panels 323A and 323B to afford projecting edges 340A and 3403 which, in the assembled and erected carrier, extend above the tops of the several side, end and partition walls of the carrier.

At the other edges of the handle panels 326A and 3263, respectively, the partition walls 323A and 3283 are foldably joined by weakened fold lines 34IA and 3MB. The other edges of the partition walls 328A and 3283 have glue flaps 342A and 3423 joined, respectively, thereto along weakened fold lines 343A and 343B that are parallel to the fold lines 34 IA and 34 l B.

At the other end of the blank, a similar arrangement in a reversed relationship is afforded.

In a similar way, bottle separating an 76 h e handle panels 325A and 3253 are joined at one edge along weakened fold lines 344A and 3MB to the other edges of the end panels 322A and $225. The other edges of the handle panels 325A and 3253 are similarly joined along weakened fold lines 3mm and H513 to the edges of the weight supporting partition panels 32'EA and 321B, respectively, while glue flaps 346A and 34513 are joined, respectively, along weakened fold lines SMA and 34713 to the other edges of the partition walls 32iA and 3213.

In affording separating means between the two central compartments, the handle panels 3 1%. and 3MB are formed with looking arms 3% extended therefrom, to the left as viewed in Fig. 2, in an uncreased relationship with respect to the handle panels. These locking arms have hooks formed at the ends thereof which include hook elements 38? and 388, and the hook element 383 is arranged so as to extend in a reverse direction so that in a finished and erected carrier these locking elements 383 may be readily and easily engaged with anchoring means that are afforded in association with the adjacent edge of the handle panel Thus, as will be evident in Fig. 2, the weight supporting and bottle separating panels 328A and 3283 have relatively narrow upward extensions formed thereon so as to extend upwardly along the adjacent upstanding edges of the handle panels 32%. and 32613. A tongue 3% is formed from each extension 390' by means of a U-shaped slit so as to extend from the fold line 3 ilA into the adjacent extension 353, and it should be observed that each tongue 39! is formed in an uncreased relationship with respect to the adjacent handle panel 325A or 3263. The tongues 395 are thus adapt-ed to move out of the spaces defined. by the U-shaped slits 392 when the carrier is erected, and this serves to afford openings into which the hook elements 338 may be extended, as will hereinafter be described.

In the blank that is thus afforded, it will be observed that the space between the fold lines 33d and 335 is substantially equal to the total height of the handle panels 325 and and hence it will be clear that the blanks may be nested so as to thereby enable full and effective use of the cardboard stock to be accomplished.

In the assembly of the blank that is thus afiorded, the opposite end portions of the blank are folded along the fold lines 338A and 333B and uEMA and ili iB, and suitable adhesive having been applied to the glue flaps 342 and 346%, these glue flaps are secured to the opposite side walls 32 EA and 32 EB so as to thereby afiord the desired foldable connections between the partition walls and the elements of the handle sections. The blank is then folded along the fold line 333 so as to bring the handle sections 325A. and 326A into opposed back-to-back relation with respect to the handle sections B and 32GB, and suitable adhesive having been applied to the faces of these handle panels and to the arms 3% that are thus placed in opposed relation, such handle panels become effectively joined together to aiTcrd the handle sections 525 and 32d, and the arms Mil become joined together to form a single arm 386, as shown in Fig. 1. When such folding and gluing operations have been completed, the blank has assumed a flat form in which it constitutes a collapsed bottle carrier 320. The collapsed bottle carrier 32% that is thus afforded may, of course, be readily erected, and this is accomplished merely by applying opposed forces to the opposite ends of the folded end walls 322 and 323.

As this is done, the handle sections of the carrier move endwise toward each other, and continuation of such application of opposed endwise forces brings the carrier 32% to the erected relationship shown in Fig. 1, and in this condition the hook element 383 will be disposed adjacent to the handle section 326, and the hook element may then be engaged with the opening that is formed in one of the other of the extensions 3%. This serves to hold the carrier 32!} in its erected condition, and the locking bar 386 is so disposed that it serves as a bottle separating means between the two central bottles in the carrier. The handle 338 may then he put in position so as to further aid in maintaining the carrier 335 in erected condition.

When the erected carrier that is thus afforded is loaded with bottles, the weight of the bottles is, of course, impressed upon the bottom wall afiorded by the bottom panels 325A and 3243, and such weight is transmitted to the side walls 32 IA and 321B of the carrier. The loaded carrier 32!], upon being lifted by means of the handle 330, attains a highly advantageous weight-transmitting action, for the end panels 322A and 322B at one end of the carrier, the end panels 323A and 323B at the other end of the panel, and the several partition walls 32'FA, SZ'lB, 32$A and 32333 are all related in substantially a right angle relationship with respect to the side walls 32m and 3MB, so as to thereby transmit the forces from the side walls to the handle sections 325 and 326.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, an alternative embodiment of the invention has been illustrated wherein a generally similar collapsible bottle carrier 226 is afforded through the use of a smaller blank, thereby to reduce the cost of the carrier. The bottle carrier 22% is, in most of its 4b,elements and relationships, quite similar to the correspondence of form, function or relationship.

Thus, the bottle carrier 22s is made from cardboard or like material that is cut and creased to afford a blank of the form shown in Fig. 4, and this blank is folded and secured together to form a collapsed or flat carrier that may be readily and easily erected to the form shown in Fig. 3

and this is done at the time when the carrier is to be loaded.

The carrier 220, as will be evident in Fig. 3, embodies rectangular side wall panels ZZEA and 2MB that are joined together at opposite ends by end Walls 222 and 223, and it will be observed that the end Wall 222 is afforded by foldably connected rectangular panels 222A and 2223,

.While the end wall 223 is afforded by foldably connected rectangular panels 223A and 2233. The lower edges of the side walls 22 lA and 22%? are foldably connected at their lower edges to a pair of rectangular bottom panels 225A and 2253, such bottom panels being of the same size and being foldably connected to each other at their adjacent edges.

Midway between the two side walls 22in and 22IB, a pair of handle sections 225 and 22s are provided in a common plane adjac and perpendicularly related to such end walls, these handle sections being aiiorded by parallel panels 225A and 22513 in one instance and 226A and 22613 in the other instance. The panels of each handle section 225 and 226 are adhesively secured together, and in each instance are foldably connected to the adjacent end wall 222 or 223, as the case may be, at the juncture of the two panels that make up such end wall, so that the handle panels 225 and 226 are disposed parallel to and medially between the side walls 22|A and 22lB. The handle sections 225 and 226 are each of such width in the'horizontal direction that the adjacent edges of the two handle sections 225 and 226 are spaced apart in a distance equal to substantially one-half the horizontal distance between the side Walls 22|A and 22IB, and bottle separating and weight transmitting walls are extended from these adjacent edges of the handle sections 225 and .226 to the respective side walls 221A and 22 !B. Weight transmitting and bottle separating means are afforded between the handle sections 225 and 226, and such means are cut from the material of the side walls. Thus, with respect to the bottle separating and weight transmitting connections that are out from the side wall panels, it will be observed that two generally horizontal but vertically spaced arms are afforded in each instance. Referring specifically to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that an upper arm, 22'IAU and a lower arm 22iAL are cut from the material of the side will panel 22IA. The upper bar 22IAU is connected to the side wall panel 22IA along a vertical score line 263AU that is disposed at the one-third point along the side wall panel 22lA. Angularly related slits 279 extend from the upper end of the score line 263AU in a generally horizontal relation to the vertical score line 233A nd angularly related slits extend generally downwardly from the slit 279 and substantially along the score line 237A for a short distance where they merge with generally horizontal slits 28! that extend to the right so as to meet the lower ends of the score line 263AU.

Similarly, the lower bar or arm ZZTAL is joined to the side wall panel 22 IA along a short vertical score line 263AL that is aligned with the score line 263AU. Angularly related score lines 282 extend generally horizontally from the upper end of the score line 253AL to the vertical score line 231A where they meet angularly related and generally vertical slits 283 that extend downwardly substantially along the score line 237A. From the lower end of the slits 283, an angular slit 284 extends downwardly and to the right to the score line 234, and a slit 285 extends angularly upwardly and to the right from the score line 234 to the lower end of the score line 263AL. Thus, the upper and lower bars 22LAU and 221AL may be folded along their score lines 263 into positions that are perpendicular to the plane of the side wall panel 22 IA. The other connecting portions are cut from the side wall 22 IA and the side Wall 2213 in generally the same manner and similar reference characters have been applied in Fig. 4 to these elements of the structure.

A relatively rigid handle 230 made from a material such as wire has a crossbar 230E and downwardly extending arms 230M, and at the lower ends of these arms, hooks 230K are provided which may extend through openings 23! that are formed in the adjacent upper corners of the handle sections 225 and 226, as will be evident in Fig. 3. The handle 230 is, of course, put into place after erection of the carrier so that it assumes the relationship shown in Fig. 3, and, as will hereinafter become evident, the handle that is thus afforded aids in maintaining the carrier in an erected condition.

In forming the carrier 220. the cardboard stock is out and scored in'the manner indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, wherein it will be evident that the two rectangular bottom panels 224A and 22413 are pivotally connected to each other at their adjacent edges along a fold line 233. Similarly, the bottom panel 224A is pivotally connected to the lower edge of the side panel 22|A along the fold line 234, while the side wall 22 IB' is pivotally connected at its lower edge to the other edge of the panel 2243 along a fold line 235.

The end panels 223A and 2233 are connected, respectively, to the corresponding ends of the side wall panels 22| A and 22|B along fold lines 236A and 236B which are, in effect, a continuous fold line that is aligned with the adjacent end edges of the bottom panels 224A and 224B. The fold lines 235A and 23GB are perpendicularly related to the fold lines 253, 234, and 235. At the other ends of the side walls 22IA and 22IB, the end panels 222A and 2223 are foldably connected to the respective side walls along fold lines 231A and 23113 that are parallel to the .fold lines 236A and 2363. At the other edges of the end panels 223A and 22313, the handle panels 225A and 226B are foldably connected along fold lines 238A and 238B which are parallel to the fold lines 236A and 23613, and in this respect, it will be observed that edges that are to constitute the lower edges of the handle panels 226A and 22 6B are formed so as to be aligned, respectively, with the fold lines 234 and 235.

At the other edges of the handle panels 226A and 226B, respectively, the glue flaps 260A and 2653 are foldably joined by fold lines 241A and 2MB, and these glue flaps 260A and 260B are utilized, as will hereinafter be described, to foldably join the partition walls ZZ BAU, 228AL, 22 8BU and 228BL to the handle section 226.

At the other end of the blank, a similar arrangement in a reversed relationship is afforded. Thus, the handle panels 225A and 225B are joined at one edge along fold lines 244A and 244B to the other edges of the and panels 222A and 2223. The other edges of the handle panels 225A and 225B are similarly joined along fold lines 245A and 2453 to the edges of glue flaps 26|A and 26B, respectively, which are used, as will hereinafter be described, to join the partition panels 227A and 221B to the handle section 225.

The handle panel 225A has its upper edge 240A aligned with the upper edge of the side wall panel 22 IA, and adjacent this upper edge an elongated latch arm 286 is extended in a horizontal direction from the vertical end edge of the panel 225A. This latch arm 286 is formed in an uncreased relationship with respect to the panel 225A and is disposed just above the upper end of the glue flap 261A. At its left-hand end the bar 285 has a hook 281 formed thereon, and this hook has a reversely projecting end member 238 that extends to the right as viewed in Fig. 4. A similar bar 285, having similar hook elements 281 and 288, is formed on the handle panel 2253 in a corresponding relationship, and these two bars 286 are arranged in the finished carton so as to be secured together in a back-to-back relation to form a single latching and bottle separating element that is identified at 286 in Fig. 3. The hook portion 281 of the arm that is thus afiorded is, in the erected carrier, disposed adjacent to the handle section 226, and means are afforded in association with the handle section 225 with which the hook element 288 may be engaged to maintain the carrier in its erected condition. Such means are afforded along the inner edge of the handle panel 22 6A, as will be evident in Fig. 4, and in accomplishing this purpose the upper ends of the glue flaps 268A and 2603 are extended as at 299 in what may be termed an upward direction. These extensions 299 are so formed that a suitable opening will, in the erection of the carrier, be formed therein to receive the hook elements 288. Thus, a tab 29L defined by a U-shaped slit 292, is formed in an uncreased relationship so as to extend from the adjacent handle panel into the extensions 2% in each instance. The vertical location of the U-shaped slits 292 is such that these slits are located in the same level as the hook elements 288.

When the carrier of Fig. 3 is to be formed from the blank of Fig. 4, the tabs 28%! and 2% have adhesive applied thereto, and the handle panels are folded inwardly along the score lines 238 and 244. The glue flaps 26b and 28! are, of course, spot-glued so they will be secured only to the bars 228 and 227, respectively, at the free ends of such bars. Adhesive is then applied to the exposed faces of the handle panels 225 and 226 and to the exposed faces of the latching bars 286. The blank is then folded along the central bottom score line 233 so as to produce the collapsed carrier. In the erection of the carrier, opposed forces are applied endwise to the ends of the folded end wall panels so that the carrier will move toward the relationship shown in Fig. 3. In such erecting movement, the glue flaps 260 and the extensions 29o thereof will move into a right angular relationship with respect to the handle section 226, and the tabs 29! will remain in the same plane with the handle section 22% so as to afford openings defined by the U-shaped slits 29!. The hook elements 2% may then be engaged with either one of the openings that are thus afforded, and in this relationship, which is shown in Fig. 3, the latch bar 2% serves not only to hold the carrier in its erected relationship, but also as a bottle separating means for the two central bottles.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention enables collapsible, pre-formed bottle carriers to be made from the minimum of cardboard or like material, and that the bottle carriers thus afforded may be rapidly produced on conventional machines of the kind now in use in the art. The bottle carriers of the present invention are adapted to be shipped in collapsed condition and may be readily and easily erected. When thus erected, the carriers of the present invention may be placed in cases of the usual form, and are held in erected condition by the engagement of the end walls of the carriers with the side walls of the case.

It will also be evident that the present invention enables bottle carriers to be readily and easily locked in their erected condition, and that this is accomplished in such a way that the locking means serve also as a bottle separating means for the two central bottles in a loaded carrier.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that these are capable of variaion and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purvew of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pre-formed collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising, when in its collapsed relation, a pair of similar bottom wall panels joined along a central fold line and folded along said fold line into a closely spaced and generally parallel relation, a pair of side walls joined along their respective lower edges along fold lines to the respective other edges of said bottom panels extended in closely spaced relation from and in substantially the planes of the respective bottom panels to which they are joined, end walls for the respective ends of the carrier and each comprising a pair of similar end panels joined at their adjacent edges along end fold lines, and having the other vertical edges thereof joined along fold lines to the adjacent end edges of the respective side walls, said end panels being disposed in closely spaced relation as endwise continuations of said side walls so as to dispose said end fold lines at the end extremities of the collapsed carrier, a pair of handle sections disposed generally parallel to and between the respective pairs of end panels and being foldably joined to said end walls at the end fold lines that join the panels or" such end walls, said handle panels having handle receiving openings formed respectively therein adjacent to the adjacent upper corners thereof, weight supporting and bottle separating panels of a width equal to the width or said end panels and extended between and foldably related to the opposite edges of each of said handle sections and each of said side walls in parallel relation to said end panels to afford a cellular structure adapted for erection by application of opposed forces to the opposed end fold lines of the carrier, and a bottle separating member connected in an uncreased relation to the inner edge of one of said handle sections in position to be moved toward the other handle section and into an operative bottle separating position as the carrier is erected.

2. A pro-formed, collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising, When erected, a pair of similar bottom wall panels joined along a central fold line, a pair of side walls joined along their respective lower edges along fold lines to the respective other edges of said bottom panels, end walls for the respective ends of the carrier and each joined at opposite edges along vertical fold lines to the adjacent end edges of said side walls, each of said end walls comprising a pair of similar panels joined at their adjacent vertical edges in a foldable relation, a pair of handle sections disposed parallel to and medially between said side walls and located in spaced relation to each other and adjacent said end walls, said handle sections each being foldably joined to said end walls at the foldable connection between the panels of such end walls, said handle panels having handle receiving openings formed respectively therein, weight supporting and bottle separating elements extended between and foldably related to the opposite edges of each of said handle sections and each of said side walls in parallel relation to said end walls, and cooperating locking means carried by said handle sections in the plane of said handle sections and adapted to be inter-engaged to hold said carrier in erected condition.

3. A pre-formed, collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising, when erected, a pair of similar bottom wall panels joined along a central fold line, a pair of side walls joined along their respective lower edges along fold lines to the respective other edges of said bottom panels, end walls for the respective ends of the carrier and each joined at opposite edges along vertical, fold lines to the adjacent end edges of said side walls, each of said end walls comprising a pair of similar panels joined at their adjacent edges in a foldable relation, a pair of handle sections disposed parallel to and medially between said side walls and located in spaced relation to each other and adjacent said end walls, said handle sections each being foldably joined to said end walls at the foldable connection between the panels of such end walls, said handle panels having handle receiving openings formed respectively therein, weight supporting and bottle separating elements connected between the adjacent vertical edges of said side walls and said handle sections in a foldable relation and at the one-third points along said side walls, and cooperating locking elements formed on two relatively movable elements of said carrier and adapted to be inter-engaged to hold said carrier in its erected condition.

4. A pre-formed, collapsible bottle carrier formed from cardboard or like material and comprising, when erected, a pair of similar bottom wall panels joined along a central fold line, a pair of side walls joined along their respective lower edges along fold lines to the respective other edges of said bottom panels, end walls for the respective ends of the carrier and each joined at opposite edges along vertical fold lines to the adjacent end edges of said side walls, each of said end walls comprising a pair of similar panels joined at their adjacent edges in a foldable relation, a pair of handle sections disposed parallel to and medially between said side walls and located in spaced relation to each other and adjacent said end walls, said handle sections each being foldably joined at one of their end to said end walls at the foldable connection between the panels of such end walls, said handle panels having handle receiving openings formed respectively therein, weight supporting and bottle separating elements extended between and fol'dably related to the opposite edges of each of said handle sections and each of said side walls in parallel relation to said end walls, and locking means comprising a horizontal locking arm extended from one of said handle sections in the plane thereof and. adjacent the top thereof, said arm having a hook at the end thereof, and an anchoring element associated with the other of said handle elements and adapted to be engaged by said hook to hold said carrier in erected condition.

MAYNARD G. HALL.

References Citedv in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,157,712 Miller Oct. 26, 19.15 2,345,746 Goodyear Apr. 4, 1944 2,367,066 Slevin Jan. 9, 194-5v 2,418,350 Holy Apr. 1, 1947 2,433,676 Ringler Dec. 30; 1947 2,525,686 Kowal Oct. 10, 1950 

